Fastener for burial vaults



F. c. KING March 24, 1931.

FASTENER FOR BURIAL VAUL'IS Filed Feb. 28, 1928 Patented Mar. 24, 1931UNITED STATES FRED o. KING, or ronrctann, ornneon FAST'ENER FORBURIaLvAuLrs Application filed February 23,1923; Serial No. 257,633/

This invention relates generally to burial vaults and particularly toall metal self-lock ing types of vaults.

The first object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly simpleand etlicient form of burial vault which will be easy to construct andnot liable to get out of order.

The second object is to make same impervious to the action of water byhaving the opening of the vault close to its lower edge and also has fora further object the provision of a unique form of latch mechanismwhereby the cover will not only be securely held to the base but willalso be prevented from rattling or from undesirable lateral movement. I

These and other objects, will become more apparent from thespecification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the vault with one corner broken away todisclose the ase. Figure 2 is a vertical section through the vault takenalong the line 22 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentarysection through the base and cover taken along the line33 in Figure 4.Figure 4: is a side elevation of the portion of the vault shown inFigure 3 taken along the line 4 l. Figure 5 110 is a detail of the latchwithholding element.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the

vault consists of three principal parts.

513 Namely, a base, a cover, and a latch mechanism.

Base and latches The base consists of a horizontal floor' 10 havingdownwardly flanged sides 11 the lower edges of whiohare outturned toform a flange 12 extending-entirely around the base. In the edges 11 ofthe base are formed open ings 13 which pass through the longitudinalside walls 11 secured to the under side'of the flange 12. Directlyunderneath the edge of opening 13v is a spring latch member 14: se curedby means of a rivet 15 or in any other convenient manner. The latch 14is provided with an upwardly curved portion 16 which .top 19 oftherlatch14L is provided wit-ha hole turns outwardlythrough the opening 13 andits outwardlyturned portion 17 is backward- 1yv and upwardlyturned andsecuredaabove theportionLG by means ofla weld l8. The

20 and a similar -hole 21 is provided in: the floor 10, whicheholes .canbe brought intoregister to receiveithe slia11lr 2l'A ofthe eye 22 forthe purpose of holding, the 1 latch in, a

withdrawn position when desired.

inwardly through-the, opening l3 and inserting the shank 21A of thee ye22 through the holes21 and 20 which, of'coi-1rse,-mi1st be brought1ntoreg1ster.- QThis operation is performed at each latch- 14 in ordentomake it possibleto place the cover ontlie' base; and remove smear. will.If, howeverpit is desired to secnre 'the clover-on the baseit-is onlynecessaryto withdraw the shanks 21-A and it will permit the latches tomove outwardly so that the next time the cover is put into place it willbe securely held 011 the base. It will be noted that not only is thecover held downwardly but laterally to prevent rattling or otherundesirable movements. Inaccuracy in manufacturing is taken care oi bythe holding latches themselves. If at any time it should be desired toopen this vault it is only necessary to gain access to the under side ofthe base and withdraw the various latches. In such event it-would bepreferable to insert a wedge or other holding element to prevent eachlatch from again moving out to a holding position before the cover 95could be removed. 7

It is a well known fact that many forms of burial vaults have beenconstructed in the past in which are employed numeroustypes of bases andcovers and latching mechanisms.

It is, therefore, not intended to cover such devices broadly but onlywithin the limits set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A latch for burial vaults of the class having a hollow base andhaving a cover provided with a shoulder along its inner lower edgeconsisting of a flat springvmember secured to the under side of saidbase and curv-.

ing upwardly into the hollow portion of said base and extending throughthe side wall thereof, the end of said spring turning backwardly throughthe opening of said base and fastening upon itself in a manner that thelower side of the projecting portion of said latch shall lie above the"shoulder in said cover, and the top side of said latch shall bearagainst the under side of the top of said base when said cover israised, and-means for holding said latch in an operative position.

2. A spring latch for burial vaults of the type having an elevatedbasemember provided with upright sides including an outwardly extendingflange projecting from the bottom of said sides, certain of said sideshaving openings formed therein near the top thereof, said latchconsisting of a flat spring secured to the under side of said flangecurving inwardly along said base, said inwardly turned end having itstip closed back upon itself in a manner to form a closed catch end andnormally-projecting through the open- 3 ing thus formed. j

3. A fastener for burial vaults consisting of a U-shaped fiat springhaving one'cover engaging end closed upon itself and havlng its oppositeend providedwith a fastening means for mounting same on the base of aburial vault, and having its closed end provided with a latch forholding said fastener in a retracted position whereby said closed endmay project through-the side of said base when said latch is released.

FRED 0. KING.

